Discussion on Frequent Urination

I just got back from the barn. Was there for 1/2 hr and my mare, Liz, urinated 5 times during that time. I've noticed for several months that she's been urinating frequently, (2-3 times right in a row) but it didn't catch my attention as it did tonight. She's healthy looking, not acting at all depressed, shiny coat, good appetite, a bit overweight (easy keeper). She's 12. I would think she was in heat but she's on Regumate. I read the section about Cushings, and looked up the section in Disease Menu under Urinary, but didn't find too much. Can horses get UTI's like people? I've also noticed when I put Liz in her pen after riding that she goes and immediately has a drink. Although this doesn't sound unusual, this is new behavior for her. She used to wait a while before drinking.

I hate to call the vet out again - Liz had a respiratory infection earlier this spring, then a pulled muscle in her neck, so I've seen the vet a lot more than I'd like. The mare is a bit unfit right now because of the above problems - couldn't exercise her for more than a month.

On the other hand I don't want to ignore a symptom that might indicate a problem. I've felt for some time that something is not quite right with Liz, but can't put my finger on it.

The extra urination may just be all the extra moisture in the grass, but horses do get UTI and bladder stones and a host of other diseases that will require veterinary assistance to diagnose.

She is not emptying completely when she urinates. Is it possible that when you are there you distract her? I would be more worried about the urination if this pattern was happening frequently during the day and I am always worried when someone says "my horse isn't acting right".

Yes, she is easily distracted. I'll ask a few other people who board/work there if they notice her doing this when I'm not around. This is the same horse that needs her hocks injected but I'm maintaining her on bute instead. I've got a 20K bill for another horse who died...so I have to admit I'm trying not to overreact and call the vet out if its not truly necessary. But I will if indeed other people are seeing her pee so much! By the way, she's not on grass pasture (few and far between in AZ), so she's not getting extra moisture. She only gets Timothy hay.

It sounds to me like Liz does have a UTI. She is doing the same thing my mare Honey did. All you have to do is catch the urine in a bucket pour in a glass and carry it to the vet's office. That will cut down your cost somewhat(so you won't have to pay for a house call). I would ride Honey and about every fifth step she had to squat and pee. She was put on meds and is back to her old self again.

I rode Liz for 1 1/2 hrs today and she didn't pee once, in fact she didn't pee the whole time I was with her before and after, so maybe Dr. O's idea that she gets "distracted" is correct!! I never would have thought of that. I asked another boarder who is there a lot and she never noticed Liz urinating frequently. Maybe when I'm there and her bladder is full she just doesn't want to take the time to empty it all at once. After all, she may miss a treat! Thanks, Dr. O, for easing my mind. I think I have become a bit paranoid....

You do have to be careful with the urine: Many of the tell tale signs of infection, WBCs in particular, rapidly dissapate following urination some of the do's and don'ts are: 1) Collect a midstream (avoid the first and last urine during urination) sample in a very clean dark cup. 2) Keep the sample cool and it should be analyzed within 30 minutes of collection if possible. DrO

Dear Dr. O., I think I've discovered what was "not quite right" with Liz. Yes, she seemed to urinate a lot, and she had grown a heavier coat that normal. Plus she was not her normal energenic self when on the trails and got easily short of breath when trotting or galloping. I put it down to "something not being right" and being unfit following her resperatory infection a few months ago.

I also knew her hocks were bothering her - she was a bit off at the trot - as I said in another post. I knew she needed another hock injection but preferred to put her on bute. Well I did put her on bute about a week and a half ago. I started with 2 gms for a few days, then 1 1/2, then 1 gram.

Yesterday, and again today, when I rode, Liz seemed like a new horse. Highly energenic, full of vim and vinager (too much, even!). We trotted a lot and galloped without her becoming short of breath. She didn't want to stop! She was loving it and feeling very good.

So I have to conclude that I was ignorant about how much her hocks were bothering her. I assume she was chronically uncomfortable and now she's feeling no pain! When she had the respiratory infection and couldn't be ridden for about a month I guess her hocks got worse because of the inactivity????

Anyway, I'm going to continue with the bute - my vet is aware I'm doing this (she'd prefer a more definitive treatment - injection - but I still am not ready for that).

Hello: This is my first post and I'm sure won't be the last. 3 year old thoroughbred being trained to race. Frequent urination, sometimes a small spurt from inside the sheath. After a small burst he will stop and then pee regular but small amounts. Did a urinalysis and it came back normal. Don't quite know what to make of it. Thanks

There are many possiblilities Jaime and your post does not suggest which it might be including being in the range of normal: most horses start a little irregularly and some do pee in their sheath.

Using the navigation bar at the top of this page, back up one level and you will find a dozen discussions that might give you some diagnostic and therapeutic ideas. DrO

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